Canakkale and Hotels

In the searching engines you would find several webpages about Canakkale in english, I suppose.
Let me divide canakkale in three sections :
1) The center of Canakkale-Canakkale is one of my favourite places in Turkey. Though it is at the upper end of the Asian part of Turkey, you will feel as if you are in a different country. Canakkale is very european and liberal. In the city center you will find the nice promenade along which you find restaurants, cafes and the trojan horse which was used in the last film of Troj. In Canakkale, one of the local specialities is "helva" made of cheese and there are several places serving that. It is a type of desert
Since the following hotels are in the very center of the city ( where you find the ferry-boat pier) and it is very lovely then I would advise a hotel in the center. In the center, because there are university students, there are quite many bars and cafees in european style, of course if you like this type of places. In the city center, you find the castle and a synagogue ( the last information I give because there may be some participants in this form of jewish origin; however the community leader should be contacted in advance for a visit, I suppoese- there is also a jewish cemetery outside the city.) Now few jews living in Canakkale. There is also an archeological museum which I have not visited.
Some of the hotels in the city center:
http://www.helenhotel.com/ ( Helen Hotel)
I stayed here once. Like a boutique hotel. I remember as if some of the rooms have windows opening into the hole inside the building, not opening to outside.
http://www.anzachotel.com/ ( Anzac hotel)
http://www.hotelakol.com/ ( akol hotel)
I remember this as a 4-star hotel.
http://www.truvaotel.com/ ( truva hotel)
A relatively old hotel. The website does not have an english section as far as I can see.
http://www.canakhotel.com/ ( canak hotel)
2) At the outer side of Canakkale. Some distance to the lively city center.
http://www.kolinhotel.com/ ( Kolin hotel)
The best and very good. But it must be expensive. If you like the luxoruous style, then this can be advised.
3) Guzelyali- a resort of Canakkale, ca. 10 km. from Canakkale city.
There you find some hotels too. There are municipal busses from the Canakkale city center. Only if you want a nice beach, this may be advised. Amongst others:
http://www.irisotel.com/
I stayed at this hotel several times. Very nice location and cosy hotel.
http://www.tusanhotel.com/
You can also look at the following website. In the website , not all the hotels are in Canakkale.
http://www.canakkaleotelleri.com/ ( website about canakkale hotels)
In the high season, it may be logical to make a reservation in advance. Pricewise, the above hotels must be around 40 USD for a double room or more with breakfast included. I suppose, there shall also be more reasonable but simpler hotels.
In Canakkale, there are shopping possibilities; close to Kolin Hotel, there is the shopping center Migros with a supermarket and some shops selling jewellery, cloths etc.
I send this detailed information not only as a response to the specific question about the hotels in Canakkale, but also as a general information about the city. I chose to call Canakkale a city, perhaps it is better to call it a town since it has approximately 70.000 inhabitants.
Canakkale has become university city with the modern university and active student life. I suggest that the visitors to Canakkale should not only conceive Canakkale as a base but as worthwhile destination. It is the European face of Turkey.
I hope that at the future-visits you will find the chance to visit two turkish islands in the Aegean Sea: Gokceada and Bozcaada.
Gokceada is the most western part of Turkey. Ferry from Canakkale or Kabatepe on the Gallipoli peninsula. ( ca. 2 hours)
http://www.gokceada.com/
Bozcaada may be accessed first by bus to Geyikli-Yukyeri pier ( ca. 40 minutes) and by ferry ( ca. 35-40 minutes)
http://www.bozcaada.info/
http://www.bozcaadatenedos.com/
I saw at some of the hotels leaflets advertising tours to Troj. Perhaps, this is the best way to realise a Troj-visit, since Troj is located some kilometers from the main road.
I hope that this information will be useful to those visiting the city of Canakkale.
Best Regards,
Sinan Tortum

Tour Guide in Turkey- Turkish, Norwegian and English-* In Ephesus/ Selcuk, Kusadasi, Izmir, Cesme, Foca, Turkey and real estate agent in Turkey

Sinan Tortum is the team leader of FELLOW GUIDES- a group of Turkish tour guides with tour guide services in Turkey in English, German, French, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and Polish.

Sinan Tortum is also team member of www.izmirtourism.com which is a modern, friendly and comprehensive website about Izmir ( Smyrna), Turkey. Sinan Tortum has also website www.turkey-realestates.net

stortum@yahoo.no

+90.533.724 63 65

http://sinan_tortum.sitemynet.com/tourism/

Nevsehir as a base while in Cappadocia

I was in Cappadocia a week ago on an inspection trip. While in Cappadocia, the province center Nevsehir with approximately 70.000 inhabitants may be a base. The visitors to the area may stay at one of the hotels in Nevsehir. They are reasonable and clean. Especially in the winter months, the visitors find more activities in Nevsehir.
Nevsehir functions as a hub of a transport system in Cappadocia. You find regular direct busses/ minibusses to all the settlements of Cappadocia.
In Nevsehir, you can visit the local museum and a mosque complex named after the ottoman prime minister ( grand vesir) Ibrahim Pasa.

Sinan Tortum
Tour Guide in Turkey- English and Norwegian
stortum@yahoo.no
+90.533.7246365
http://sinan_tortum.sitemynet.com/tourism/

Hacibektas in Cappadocia as an important center of Turkish alevis and bektasis

A Cappadocia-visit should also include a visit in the town of Hacibektas. The town is located nearly 1 hour's drive from Nevsehir. You take a local minibus or midibus from Nevsehir. By travelling northwards via the town of Gulsehir you arrive in Hacibektas.
Approximately one fourth of the people in Turkey belong to Alawi-Islam and Haci Bektas Veli is one of the leading personalities of this sect. Without a visit in Hacibektas, it is difficult to get a full picture of Turkey. In the present day world where we search for dialogue between the religions, it is probable that a key to this dialogue will show itself in Hacibektas. Alawi-bektasi sect of Islam is based mainly on the ideology of having the humanbeings in the center of all and with its simplistic ( and easy-to-understand) philosophy, it propogates for beeing a good person with a proper life.
In Hacibektas-town, I would suggest you visit two places:
1) Hacibektas Museum, which is the monestary where the pupils of Alawi-Bektasi sect were trained. There you find different section of the monestary with amongst others the kitchen and the tomb of Haci Bektas Veli.
2) By driving few minutes from the town center , you come to a type of open-air museum with an amphi-theatre and a "cilehane". "Cilehane" is a small cave and if you can pass through the small hole, this means that you are free from your sins. I could not manage this, possibly because I had a thick coat on me!
In the Culture Center of the town, you also may join at certain periods SEMA-performances, which is the Alawis' traditional dances.
I found a website about the town of Hacibektas but it is only in Turkish. At least in the main page, you find a video ( without voice) showing the town. Website address is http://www.hacibektas.com/
Greeting from Izmir-region
Sinan Tortum
Tour Guide in Turkey-English and Norwegian
stortum@yahoo.no
0533.724 63 65
http://sinan_tortum.sitemynet.com/tourism/

Public Transport in Izmir Turkey

Izmir, as the third biggest city of Turkey, has a good network of transport system utilizing possibilities at sea and on land. If you come to ızmir by air, the possibilities are as follows:
1-If you do not care about the budget, the easiest way is to take a taxi. To the city center it would cost appr. 25 USD. 2-Havas-local ground handling company operates coaches to differnt points of the city center and it costs appr. 6 USD. 3-Do not reckon with the train at the moment. There is a train station at the airport. However, the existing railway is beeing rehabilitated to become a part of the extended metro system; we expect that in one year's time it will be ready.
If you come to Izmir-port, then it is located in Alsancak in the very center of the city. If you have limited time in Izmir, then I would advise using taxi to reach, for example, the basar.
In case you come to the main central bus-terminal of Izmir, the best way is to take the socalled services busses operated by the bus-companies. At the bus-terminal, take the service bus to the city center. These service busses usually drive to the central parts of the city.
Within the city of Izmir, the main public transport means is the red municipal busses. As a foreigner in Izmir, it may be difficult to find out where to take the bus, which bus and to where. Therefore, unless you want an adventure, for short stays, I would not advise the municipal busses. In these busses you can use money ( appr. 1 USD) or you can use "Kent Kart" ( City Card). The last named can be bought at the bus ticket offices or at some shops. Look for the sign "Kent Kart" to buy this card. you pay appr. 3 USD and you have to fill in some credits which you then spend on the bus. You simply show the card to a device besides the driver and the cost shall be deduced from your total credit. Using "Kent Kart" is more reasonable.
Between the following points there are municipal boat/ ferry services:
Passanger boats Konak/ Karsiyaka/ Konak, Konak/Bostanli/ Konak, Konak/Bayrakli/Konak, Goztepe/Karsiyaka/Goztepe ( few departures a day) and ferry boats ( for cars and passangers) Uckuyular/Bostanli/Uckuyular. In the summer, there are boat trips from Konak to Alman Adasi outside Urla, where there are swimming possibilities.
Izmir Metro approximately 11 km. long with 10 stations is what we can be proud of. The end stations are Bornova and Uckuyular. If you are in the very center of Izmir-close to the Basar, the nearest stations are Konak, Cankaya and Basmane. The Municipality of Izmir is extending the metro system; after the construction of the new railways and the rehabilitation of the existing ones, it will be a superb development in the public transport system of Izmir.
In addition, there are also minibus ( "dolmus") services usually outside the very central parts of Izmir.
Taxi in Turkey in general is quite reasonable. So, if you as a visitor does not have stressing budget limitations it is an advisable means of transportation. You should of course remmeber to provide for that the taxi-driver turns on the "taksimetre" showing how much you should pay.
Greeting from izmir, turkey
Sinan Tortum
Tour Guide in Turkey-English and Norwegian
stortum@yahoo.no
+90.533.7246365
http://sinan_tortum.sitemynet.com/tourism/